


The man in the mirror

by NovaRedgrave



Category: Devil May Cry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:14:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23673685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NovaRedgrave/pseuds/NovaRedgrave
Summary: Nero's never liked his reflection. It reminds him of how different he is from everyone else.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 32





	The man in the mirror

**Author's Note:**

> Broke: Using the 'reflection' prompt for Dante or Vergil angst  
> Woke: Using the 'reflection prompt for NERO angst

At age eight, Nero looked into the mirror in the orphanage bathroom. Why did he have white hair? None of the other kids did. They all were mean to him because of it. He decided that he didn’t like his hair. But for just a second, he wondered if he got his hair from one of his parents. The small boy shook his head to rid himself of the thoughts. He’s an orphan after all, any thoughts of what his parents might be like never led to a good place.

At age sixteen, the young man joined the order of the sword as a holy knight. He stopped wearing those damned hoods. Never helped him in a fight anyway, or from getting into fights. Regardless of whether he wore the stupid thing or not people still knew who he was. The bastard of a whore and some random outsider. At least he still had Kyrie and Credo. They never judged him for his appearance. 

At age nineteen, for the first time in his life Nero sees someone with the same hair and eyes as him. He didn’t think too much about it at the time, too worried about protecting Kyrie. Then the order took her hostage, Credo died, and they tried to use Nero as a part demon battery for some ridiculous giant statue to take over the world. Once it was all over, he didn’t get the chance to have a real conversation with Dante. The mysterious man in red exited his life as quickly as he had burst into it. Giving nothing more than his brother’s sword and a hint that they may cross paths again one day. 

It was the first time in a long time that Nero’s thoughts drifted to his parents again. He knew in all likelihood that he and Dante were connected somehow. He didn’t know if that was because he was apparently part demon or that the strange man might be related to him in some way. Maybe Dante was the outsider that was his father? Had his fun with some Fortunian girl and bounced before either even knew the consequences of that time. And now that he’s seen Nero all grown up, probably thought that he didn’t need a parent in his life?

Nero had hoped that it wasn’t the case. 

Age twenty-five. Nero had lost his arm, seen an entire city decimated by demonic activity, nearly been squished by weird tentacles from this ‘Urizen’ guy that took his arm and the Yamato within it. But no, that’s not the craziest to happen to him. V had told him that ‘Urizen’ was actually a man named ‘Vergil’. And was in fact, Dante’s brother. The one who the Yamato belonged to before him. Dante apparently knows this already. But neither were prepared for the flash of light and explosion of energy that pushed both him and Dante back a few feet. Nor were they prepared for the new form that stood before them. “What is this?” he almost whispered.

“Vergil.” Dante bit out. He was out of breath but he still charged to fight his brother. Vergil, however, seemed at full strength and easily pushed Dante back. Nero wasn’t sure exactly what to do at the moment as Dante had yelled at him to get out of his way. Vergil seemed to teleport forward this time, meeting his brother and clashing their swords, telling Dante to heal up and get strong. Two strikes in the air with the Yamato, and Nero was taken aback to the previous month, when the stranger in rags had taken his right arm and left in a similar fashion. 

But before fully walking through, Vergil turned his head and thanked Nero. The young man stood there, confused as to why Dante’s brother had just thanked him, and where did V go? Dante explained that V had returned to himself, as little as an explanation as it was, it made sense. Once again, Dante had told Nero to stay behind. Like hell was the younger taking this crap again. Did the older hunter not trust his strength? Sure he lost an arm, but he made weapons out of new ones. 

He finally pushed the man in red into giving him a real answer. Just not one he ever expected. 

“HE’S YOUR FATHER!” 

Dante then explained his reasoning, and then left. To go kill his own brother. 

Nero wasn’t having that. No. He finally finds out that he has a father, and an uncle. And the first thing they do in seeing each other again is to try to kill the other. No, Nero decided, he doesn’t want that to happen. Hearing Kyrie’s confidence in his decision is all he needs. He climbs the qliphoth again, and this time, explodes with power and fully awakens his inner devil.

One week after that. One week after he found out he had some biological family and then promptly kicked both of their asses. Nero is at home, in Fortuna. Nico off tinkering in her workshop, the kids and Kyrie asleep. His mind starts to wander back. He finally has confirmation that his white hair is definitely a genetic trait he got from his father, as well as his bright blue eyes. But he tried to think carefully, and study the mental image he had now of his father's face.

He found himself standing in the bathroom in front of the mirror above the sink. He gingerly touched his, now human, hand to his face. Going over every area, noting which parts were similar to his father’s, like his jawline and chin. But Nero also noticed in his reflection, that his ears, nose and lips were all different from Vergil’s. Features that likely belonged to his mother, or were perhaps even a mix of the two. 

For once, Nero looked at his reflection and smiled. He knew where he got his features from. Not all of them. But for once, it didn’t hurt to think of who his parents were. He’d probably have to beat the information about his mother out of his father. Whenever he and his uncle returned from the underworld. But for now, Nero smiled and slept peacefully with thoughts of his family in his heart.


End file.
